CHICAGO, July 17—More than 100 members and friends, ages 11-72, women and men, Asian, Latin, Black, and white participated in the weeklong Summer Project. The goal of the Summer Project was to support the political struggles in Chicago, educate ourselves and our base, and reach out to workers across the region with a revolutionary communist analysis.
Communist Agitation
On the first day, during a cookout in the park, comrades and friends worked together to develop a
political editorial for CHALLENGE. We struggled together to understand the complex ideas of inter-imperialist rivalry and then write about them in a way to help working-class readers understand and see the need to fight back.
The next day we went to three bus barns to talk to bus operators. In Chicago, the bus and train operators are in different locals of the Amalgamated Transit Union. Local 308, the train operators, had held a strike authorization vote with 97 percent voting in favor of a strike. They have been working without a contract for 18 months and management wants to make cuts to their healthcare and pensions. Progressive Labor Party (PLP) encouraged members of Local 241, the bus operators, to support their brothers and sisters in local 308, and to take a strike authorization vote of their own (see letters, page 6). The bus operators were impressed to see so many young people up at 4:30 in the morning distribute them leaflets and newspapers on their way into work, and had a wonderful response to our militant, revolutionary message.
After our morning with the bus operators, we gathered to study political economy. (It is based on the understanding that the economy is a political relationship between classes—under capitalism that relationship is one of exploitation of the working class by the capitalists for profit. Political economy also helps us understand how capitalism is a historical process that must be replaced by communism.)
Capitalist education and media will have you believe that these are complex ideas that only experts can really understand. But PL’ers know the working class can and must know how capitalism exploits the working class—so we can fight it. Veteran and new, Black, Latin, Asian, and white, we all worked together to break down these ideas and connect them to our lives.
When we later sold CHALLENGEs at CTA bus stops in the afternoon, Black workers on the South Side of Chicago were happy to see an organization calling for the destruction of racism. By the end of the day, we had distributed 1,000 papers to workers in Chicago! We received the same response throughout the Summer Project, as we held many CHALLENGE sales. One day as we were rallying at a hospital, a sheriff van with imprisoned workers drove by, and as the workers heard what we were saying on the bullhorn, some lifted their fists in solidarity. A comrade reflected that “they were like all of the working class—imprisoned by capitalism but still keeping a fight back spirit alive.”
Our last day was spent in a predominantly Latin neighborhood situated right next to Cook County jail. The jail is the largest single-site jail in the U.S., with a current population of about 7,500, and an average of 70,000 people passing through its cells each year. We marched to the jail, making the link between racist mass deportations and mass incarceration, with speeches and chants in both Spanish and English. The response to the paper and our march was overwhelming.
Communist Education
Education is a weapon, and we made sure we were well-armed during the Summer Project. Each day there were study groups covering topics ranging from the political economy of healthcare, to the divisiveness of identity politics, to the history and role of policing in the U.S. Through these interactive sessions we gained deeper understanding of how the world works and how we have to change it. One college comrade realized during the discussion about political economy that “they really just exploit us on the job everyday.” Other comrades shared ideas and resources so we all emerged stronger to defeat the capitalist system.
We didn’t just read to educate ourselves—we also wrote! We spent the first part of the Summer Project writing, drawing, editing, and translating the next issue of CHALLENGE. Producing the paper in this collective way was enlightening—both for those of us who work on it regularly and those of us who didn’t know everything that goes into producing the paper every two weeks. The new issue was printed in time to use on the last day of the project and it was great to see everyone rushing to read what we had put together so collectively. We should make efforts to always produce  CHALLENGE more collectively.
Another day, one of the most fun ways we learned during the Summer Project was when we rented a school bus and went on an inspiring labor history tour of Chicago, to see the places of communists’ and PL’s long history of fightback.
Communist Culture
Throughout the summer project, we all lived, worked, ate, and learned together. We saw what communist culture looks like—sharing, building each other up to achieve new heights, struggling with each other in honest commitment to build the best Party we can, and committing to hard work for the needs of the working class. Over the week many young and new comrades who were hesitant to give a speech at the beginning, by the end of the week, got on the bullhorn. They shared personal stories that have informed their political views and led chants like “the only solution is communist revolution!”
We had newcomers share viewpoints that expanded our analysis and become leaders. Seeing the growth in everyone as communists was beautiful. By the end of the Summer Project, two people joined the Party! We are excited to grow PLP and build anti-racist class consciousness among the international working class. We can’t wait to get back to our jobs, schools, and communities, where we will build on what we learned this summer, and get our class one step closer to destroying this capitalist system.

BOGOTA, Colombia, July 20—Three hundred and fifty thousand public school teachers went on a 37-day strike demanding better healthcare, more funding for school maintenance, supplies, student meals, higher salaries and the end to racist policies against working-class teachers and students. The bosses, falsely promised that the money that went to fighting the fake left Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) would now be used for education, and now owe the teachers several billions of pesos. Teachers’ quality of life is suffering as they work in subhuman conditions for millions of students.
The bosses’ response to the striking teachers has been to deny funding. But they spend money on war, repression, corruption, high salaries for politicians and generous interests for the World Bank.  One such boss, Juan Manuel Santos, the warmongering mayor of Peñalosa, uses his fascist squadrons to repress the educators.  Three teachers have been killed and several injured in the demonstrations.  
Knowing that the bosses lie and betray workers, the teachers intensified the struggle and have been courageously fighting back in near-daily marches, blocking busy roads in the capital.
Progressive Labor Party has been present at all the marches and meetings. Two teachers, readers of CHALLENGE, have been leading the struggle, and keeping it militant and being vigilant about the decisions that are made.
Many unions and political organizations have displayed solidarity with the teachers. This is a step forward in the political struggle. Our work is to create a mass base for communism and to train new leaders so the bosses will not be able to control us. PLP knows that this reform struggle will not itself bring down capitalism. Our friends also understand this and many teachers are fighting for advances in the revolutionary process by talking about and distributing our literature.
Today’s struggles, from farm workers, to healthcare workers, to bus drivers, to conductors, construction workers, the unemployed, and street vendors, should be turned into united workers’ struggle. We have to win workers to working-class consciousness and advance the struggle for revolution. Capitalism will not stop attacking us.  We are fighting to destroy capitalism, we have no other option.  We will build the international PLP and create a system that serves the interests of the working class: communism.

CHICAGO, July 11—Over 50 comrades and friends participating in Progressive Labor Party’s Summer Project took action to blast the racist and sexist “healthcare” system under capitalism. They brought a revolutionary communist vision of health and collective power to the working class of Chicago, during a packed day of CHALLENGE sales, forums, and a bold rally.
Early to Rise, Early to Struggle
Comrades arrived at two different hospitals on the city’s primarily Black and Latin west side at 6:00 am to greet workers and patients with CHALLENGE and fliers as they entered the facilities. In less than an hour, over 400 fliers and CHALLENGEs were sold and several workers gave us their information so PLP could be in touch with them.
The two hospitals, Mount Sinai and Stroger Hospital of Cook County, are the only options available for many Black and undocumented workers and their families. Because of the overwhelming racism of the system, workers and patients alike face poor staffing, long wait times, and cutbacks on essential services. The racist bosses of both facilities have committed a brutal attack on the working class with the decision to completely eliminate pediatric inpatient services. Communists say: a system that won’t guarantee comprehensive healthcare to the working class doesn’t deserve to exist!
Only Communism Will Heal Our Class
The collective next held a study group on the political economy of healthcare at a local university. A physician comrade talked about capitalism’s drive to provide medical services only as a means to ensure the productivity (and thereby profitability) of workers. Healthcare didn’t develop out of the “goodwill” of the bosses. To have workers drop dead in the fields or the factories was simply bad for their bottom line, so they established the minimum services necessary to ensure a steady exploitation of our labor.
We discussed historical examples of communist-influenced healthcare, such as when
communists in China doubled life expectancy in the span of a single generation through massive public health campaigns and breaking down elitist hierarchies in the hospitals and clinics. This
example, and others, reminded everyone how workers can and have made tremendous strides in healthcare when armed with communist politics and organization.
Smash Racist Healthcare
Eager to put theory into practice, comrades and friends returned to Stroger Hospital that same afternoon for a PLP rally. Sharp chants and bold speeches were given from a bullhorn as we held a picket line at the entrances. Even more CHALLENGES and fliers were handed out to workers. Comrades, many of whom were giving their first-ever speeches on a bullhorn, blasted capitalist healthcare and its racist and sexist cutbacks, calling on workers to fight for revolutionary alternatives.
In a matter of minutes, the rally caught the bosses’ attention. Racist kkkops attempted to shut down the picket, saying we were breaking the law by marching on the sidewalk in front of the hospital. PL’ers defied their bogus threats by chanting even louder and holding our ground! Eventually, we forced the cops to back off and our speeches and chants became even bolder and revolutionary. Hundreds of CHALLENGEs were
distributed, and many workers driving past honked in solidarity.
Addiction is a Disease of Capitalism
The day concluded with a forum on the current opioid epidemic in the U.S. Clear connections were made between alienation, pharmaceutical profits, incarceration, and capitalism. A collective analysis determined that capitalism was responsible for the opioid crisis, and that it had no therapeutic solutions to treat the increasing number of workers struggling with addiction. We also discussed the racism of the bosses’ attacks on Black workers struggling with crack addiction in the 1980s, and their more compassionate reporting of the overwhelmingly white workers that are
suffering from this opioid crisis.
Once again, capitalist “solutions” to drug addiction and selling were contrasted with communist approaches. Comprehensive medical treatment, collective struggle, and full access to productive labor and healthy recreation were among some of the more worker-based methods to treating addiction shared within the groups. Many participants shared personal experiences as well as historical examples, stimulating discussion and envisioning a world where destructive drug epidemics are a thing of the past.
Communism is the Antidote to Capitalist Poison
The truth is that capitalism can offer no healthy future for our class. The system bankrupts us, charging enormous fees to treat diseases that it causes, if workers even have access to those treatments. Their pursuit of profit will always come before workers’ needs! No reform will ever change that basic fact. The prescription that PLP gives is to join and build a mass anti-racist, anti-sexist international Party for communist revolution. As a united working class, we can take our health needs into our own hands and send capitalism straight to the morgue!

Brooklyn, July 21—A speaker for the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) chanted, “How do you spell racist? NYPD.” It grew in power as other workers joined in. This was the 4th anniversary of the death of Kyam Livingston, who died in police custody when she was denied medical care. The speaker continued, “Justice for Kyam Livingston, killed in a Brooklyn cell! Until we get rid of this damned capitalist, racist system there is no justice.“
This was our 48th monthly demonstration as about 50 people rallied for Kyam on the corner of Church Avenue and E. 18th Street. We were young and old, men and women, Black, white, Asian and Latin. It was also a day of remembrance for Kyam, who became ill while awaiting arraignment on a minor matter and was refused medical care while she cried in agony for seven hours. Kyam’s mother, Anita Neal, has led this battle for justice. Her fire, her organizational skills, and her unrelenting demands for justice have inspired all of us.
We have been involved in the struggle against racism and other evils of this capitalist system for many years. Giving up was never an option. How to move the struggle forward was the only question. All of the moments we spent together—making plans for the next demonstration, eating together, sharing stories—brought us closer. We became family. We became comrades.
During this campaign to gain justice, respect, and acknowledgement from a brutal, racist system, members of PLP have been making the point that these movements that fight for justice bring people together need to eventually lead to a revolution and a communist world—a world without borders or racism. A world that the workers will organize and control based on worker needs, not capitalist profits.
At the rally, we distributed several hundred leaflets and petitioned for a corner signpost in commemoration of Kyam. The demand is to claim the spot for a working class woman who was murdered through the neglect and cruelty of the racist capitalist “justice” system. Several hundred Challenges were distributed. People on the street got involved in many discussions with us as passersby began to understand that this was the fourth anniversary and that this struggle has been continuous.
One of the members of our committee spoke on behalf of his local church. The church’s Justice Committee has been in this struggle since day one. He said a system that allows such racist outrages should not be allowed to continue. Kyam’s mother spoke of her anguish and how much she misses her daughter. She spoke of how our Justice for Kyam group has been working collectively with no acknowledgement from local politician. She spoke about a small scholarship fund she started for local Junior High School students, and how she wants a signpost with her daughter’s name. But she knows that a signpost will not bring justice—nothing will bring back her daughter. A signpost means the struggle must continue. Let’s fight to win that signpost to remember Kyam and make it a step on the way to a better world.
The collective work of our Justice for Kyam Committee has touched the hearts and fighting spirit of the people of Flatbush. Many times when we were on the street handing out leaflets or collecting petitions, people thanked us for consistently being there and being involved in this effort. Many joined the rallies and took petitions and leaflets to give to their friends. Over the four years of this struggle, hundreds of people have been involved in these rallies
As has been the custom, at the end of the rally Anita gave out balloons and flowers. We marched to the middle of the intersection, stopping traffic. Holding Kyam’s ashes in an urn, Anita made a tearful speech about how much she misses her daughter and about her anger at the system that claims to care but just abuses. As the sky was beginning to darken, orange balloons were released and flooded the sky, as they disappeared upwards.